Method for wrapping with flexible heat sealable material



June 18, 1968 P. J. FELLNER ET AL 3,388,524

METHOD FOR WRAPPING WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL Original Filed May 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS P. J. FELLNER BY: E. s. M/C'K/EW/LZ June 18, 1968 P, J, FELLNER ET AL 3,388,524

METHOD FOR WRAPPING WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL Original Filed May 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 2 /?J. FELLNER E..5. M/L'K/EW/CZ United States Patent 3,388,524 METHOD FOR WRAPPING WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL Phillip J. Fellner, and Edward S. Mickiewicz, Racine,

Wis., assignors to Sturtevant Industries, Inc., Sturtevant, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Original application May 25, 1967, Ser. No. 641,232, new Patent No. 3,358,420, dated Dec. 19, 1967. Divided and this application Nov. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 682,331

3 Claims. (Cl. 5333) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of wrapping an article to permit the soft, flexible wrapping material to be pulled tightly and completely around all sides of the article and also underneath the article and tightly against the bottom thereof, all with one general sweeping motion in a matter of a few seconds.

Cross reference to related application This is a divisional application of the US. patent application, Ser. No. 641,232, filed May 25, 1967, entitled, Apparatus for Wrapping with Flexible, Heat Sealable Material, issued Dec. 19, 1967, as Patent No. 3,358,420.

Background and brief description 0 the invention the remainder of the rolled material, and stretching and pulling the outwardly extending ends of the wrapping material tightly downwardly over the edges of the article and under it to completely and tightly wrap the article regardless of its shape. The wrapping is all done without the necessity at any time releasing or losing hold of the wrapper.

The introduction of soft or Pliofilm material into the food wrapping industry has resulted in a number of objectionable features in the use of such material. It has been found that due to its ready adherence to any surface, and particularly to itself, it must be supplied in rolls rather than cut sheets as previously supplied. When wrapping by hand, it must be used as it is unrolled from the roll in order to eliminate handling problems. Wrapping equipment has been developed which enables an operator to pull out a predetermined length of paper, overwrap and underwrap the article by moving it toward the operator and automatically cutting the sheet of material as it is moved toward the operator. The outwardly extending edges of the wrapping material are tucked under by hand and the package placed on a hot plate to seal the bottom of the package. The outwardly extending ends may be pulled across the bottom of the package if the operator holds the package in his hand and folds one end at a time. Such prior art apparatus is shown generally in the US. Patent No. 3,176,443 which issued on Apr. 6, 1965, to William Klamp, and over which the present invention is an improvement.

Generally, the invention provides an improved method for wrapping an article in soft, Pliofilm, heat scalable material which is very fast and simple in operation and tightly and completely wraps the article of varying configurations, and which permits the quick and easy wrapping of the material against the bottom of the package, assuring a seal across the bottom edges which is subsequently heat sealed.

With the present invention, there is no bunching of 3,388,524 Patented June 18, 1968 the wrapping material on the bottom of the package, and a smooth and flat bottom of the finished package is assured and one having a good seal.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of apparatus used for practicing the present invention, the view being taken from the operators side, certain parts shown as being broken away.

FIGURES 2 to 7 are fragmentary, perspective views, taken from the side opposite to that shown in FIGURE 1, and showing the series of steps in wrapping an article in accordance with the present invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention The wrapping apparatus includes a frame F supported on the floor or other convenient surface, which frame has an upper end, which may include a table top T, located at a height convenient to the operator. A number of rolls R (only one shown) of soft Pliofilm material M may be rotatably supported on the lower portion of the frame whereby a particular type of width of roll may be selected for drawing material therefrom. The material M is drawn up by its free end 1 through the laterally extending passage 2 in the upper end of the frame. The article, which may be in a tray 3, is then wrapped by the operator and placed on the heated conveyor 4 located adjacent the apparatus whereby the conveyor acts to heat seal the bottom of the completed package.

For convenience of description, the side of the apparatus toward the operator will be referred to as the rear side, while that remote from him the front side. The other two opposite sides may be characterized as the lateral sides.

The articles to be wrapped are fed to the apparatus by an endless conveyor or other means (not shown), and in wrapping operations of this character, extreme speed of Wrapping is important. With the present invention, an article can be wrapped in an extremely simple, fast and easy manner.

Referring more specifically to the wrapping apparatus, a first support 5 is provided adjacent the upper end of the frame and is of a width less than that of the article A so that when the article A is placed thereon, the lateral sides A1 and A2 of the article extend laterally beyond the width of the first support. The support is shown as a plate member which is inclined at an angle which extends upwardly in a direction away from the operator. The support 5 is thus elevated or positioned to provide clearance beneath the article, when resting on the support, to enable the operators fingers to easily move under the article.

Prior to commencing the wrapping operation, the wrapping material, which is very adhesive to itself or anything it comes in contact with, extends upwardly through the passage 2 and has its free end 1 resting on the top of the table adjacent the operator whose hands only are shown. This is the position the edge assumed after the termination of the previous Wrapping operation.

To commence the wrapping operation, the operator would insert his fingers into the passage 2 at either side of the material M (FIGURE 1), then grasp the material adjacent its free leading edge 1 and lift it upwardly (FIG- URE 2) a surficient distance so that when he then moves the free end of the wrapping material over the article (FIGURE 3), it is sufficiently long to extend completely around the front edge of the article which is located remote from the operator.

In FIGURE 3 it will be noted the material is being rolled around the front edge of the package by the operators fingers so that the wrapping material completely and smoothly covers the entire length of the forward edge of the article (FIGURE 4) and the operators hands are then located one on each side of the article, still firmly grasping the wrapping material and pulling it laterally tautly over the article. The tension of the wrapping material from the roll R has been such that the operator has also tightly stretched the material over the article in the general sweeping motion away from himself and then back underneath the forward edge of the article. Because of the fact that the article A extends laterally to each side of the support 5 and has clearance underneath, the operator can, with one smooth sweeping motion, completely overwrap the material and locate the leading edge 1 of the material under the article A without bunching of the wrapping material.

The operator then moves the article toward himself and, as shown in FIGURE 5, has placed it on a second support located adjacent the rear or operators side of the apparatus. It will be noted that the support 10 is formed as a pedestal and is also of a width considerably less than the article to be wrapped so that the article, now in the partially wrapped form, extends laterally over either side of the second support. The second support 10 is also elevated sufiiciently so that adequate clearance is provided thereunder for the operators hands as will presently appear. When in the position shown in FIGURE 5, the operator moves his hands laterally outward from one another, tautly stretching the wrapping material laterally over both the top and bottom of the article and it will be noted that in this position, the wrapping material is smooth, and evenly and tautly drawn across the entire article. It should be noted that all of the motion of the operator to this point has been in one continuous sweeping or looping motion of his hands. The material around the article has also been severed from its roll as will now appear.

The material is severed from its supply roll R immediately after the operator has stretched the material laterally across the bottom of the article, and as the partially completed package is being set down on the second support. The heat severing means 14 is conventional and includes the hot wire 15 which is electrically energized in the conventional manner and is secured by appropriate insulators 16. This wire is located above the rearwardly and downwardly inclined surface 17 of the table top and as the partially completed package is set on the pedestal, the material comes into contact with the wire, immediately severing it. This forms a new leading edge 1a (FIG- URE 7) of the material which is ready for the next wrapping operation.

After the severing operation, as shown in FIGURE 6, the operator then commences to immediately push his hands downwardly below the level of the article and, with a continuous sweeping movement, brings his hands towards one another beneath the article, and then raises it (FIGURE 7). This is possible due to the clearance provided under the article at each side thereof and the relative dimensions of the support and article.

The operator has thus lifted the package off the support and his hands at this time (FIGURE 7) are still moving toward one another and pressing or smoothing the lateral ends of the material tightly and firmly against the bottom of the package P. Simultaneously the operators hands are moving toward the conveyor 4 on which it is placed for heat sealing of the entire bottom of the package.

In addition to the angled platelike support 5 shown in the figure, any suitable means may be installed on the top of the .frame for holding the package in the elevated position and providing the necessary clearance under each lateral side of the package. For example, the support 5 may take the form of a simple bar which is adjustably inserted in a series of holes in the table top. Thus, the bar may be adjusted to accommodate packages of various sizes or shapes.

Recapitulatimz The wrapping method provided by the present invention includes supporting the article with its lateral sides free, drawing the material over the article and then. under its front edge thereby tautly overwrapping the article, lifting the overwrapped article and moving it so as to underwrap it and simultaneously pulling the material in lateraL ly opposite directions thereby stretching it taut laterally over both the bottom and top of the article, again supporting said partially wrapped article with its lateral ends free and substantially simultaneously urging that material which extends from the partially wrapped article against a heated severing means, pulling the free lateral ends of the material downwardly around the lateral sides of the article and under the article, smoothly pressing those ends along the bottom of the package so formed, and then heat sealing the bottom.

All of the above motions are continuous and very rapid and the operator at all times has definite and positive control of the wrapping material, it being unnecessary to shift the weight of the package from one hand to the other in order to tightly wrap the material completely around the article. This is possible even during that portion of the wrapping method movement where the lateral ends of the material are brought underneath the partially formed package and smoothed along its under side.

Whenever a food product of varying outer configuration is placed in a tray, it is ditficult to be sure that the ends of the wrapping material are sealed if they are not pulled into tight engagement with these edges. By supporting the package in a position where the operator can pull the material under the package, a seal is assured completely along all of the edges of the package.

After the package is completely wrapped, it is placed on the hot conveyor where the heat of the belt will seal the ends of the material to the bottom of the package. If a heat shrinkable material is used, a heat tunnel may be placed on the end of the conveyor to shrink the material if required.

We claim:

1. A method of hand wrapping an article in a soft, flexible and thermoplastic material comprising, supporting the article to be wrapped; drawing said material from a supply and away from the operator and completely over the article and over the edge of the article located remote from the operator to thereby overwrap the article; moving the resulting overwrapped article toward the operator to thereby underwrap it and simultaneously pulling the material in laterally opposite directions to stretch the material smoothly across the bottom of the article; supporting the partially wrapped article on a second support in such a manner that the lateral sides of said article extend freely beyond said second support, and substantially simultaneously urging that material extending from the partially wrapped article against a heated severing means to sever said material from said supply, pressing the lateral ends of the Wrapped material toward one another and smoothly along the bottom side of the package so formed, and then beat sealing the bottom of the package.

2. A method of hand wrapping an article in a soft, flexible and thermoplastic material and with one substantially continuous movement of the operators hands, said method comprising, supporting the article to be wrapped so that its lateral sides are unobstructed and have clea:r ance thereunder for the operators fingers; draw-ing said material from a supply and upwardly between said operator and said article, then away from the operator and completely over the article, then downwardly over the edge of the article located remote from the operator and then toward the operator to thereby overwrap the article; lifting the partially wrapped package toward the operator and toward a second support and simultaneously pulling the material in laterally opposite directions to stretch the material smoothly across the bottom of the article which is thereby underwrapped; placing the partially wrapped article on said second support in-such a manner that the lateral sides of said article extend freely beyond said support, and substantially simultaneously urging that material extending from the partially wrapped article against a heated severing means to sever said material from said supply, pressing the lateral ends of the wrapped material toward one another smoothly along the bottom side of the package so formed, and then heat sealing the bottom of the package.

3. A method of Wrapping an article having a fiat bottom in a soft film Wrapping material using a table having in sequence an angled article support, a wrapping material feed slot, a hot wire cutter and a pedestal comprising the steps of placing an article to be wrapped on the angled support, grasping the corners of the free end of a roll of soft film and pulling the strip of soft film over the article far enough for the free end to underwrap the article; moving the article toward the pedestal to draw the film across the bottom of the article; placing the article on the pedestal with the trailing edge in close proximity to the Wire to sever the soft film; pulling the ends of the material wrapped on the package outward to stretch the material; folding the ends under the article with the material drawn tightly across the bottom edges of the article in sealing engagement therewith; and placing the wrapped article on a hot belt to seal the bottom of the article.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,725,699 12/1955 Rumsey 53-39O 3,176,443 4/1965 Klam-p 53390 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

